


Heart of the Mountain

by Oliver__Niko



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Reunions, Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23380927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: In the past, the two of them met by chance. Biologically, they could not have been siblings, yet there had been no other word to describe them. They loved each other dearly. Enough for the elder brother to leave his sister to protect her.In the present, she fights to save him, taking on the companionship of others to help her. They search for an answer somewhere in this world, so much of it left unexplored and ready to be discovered.In the future, only time will tell if any of it has been worth it at all.
Relationships: Edna & Eizen (Tales of Series)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	1. Past

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a fic I started in January! This was originally for the ToZ Anniversary event. For a few reasons, I put it to one side, before finally continuing recently.
> 
> As you might have been able to tell, each chapter of this fic will tell the story of Eizen and Edna's past, present and future. As tagged, this isn't completely canon compliant, but not exactly like the anime either. I suppose it's my own take on what could have happened, and I do hope you enjoy it!

No other type of nature tells a story quite like mountains. With their vast spires reaching towards the Heavens, mountains show the strength of a land modified over the course of centuries, by artes and nature alike. They withstand the harshest winds, strikes of lightning, even the vicious claws of dragons finding their perch.

They are fascinating. It's no wonder that so much of the world's energy and mana collects here. For beneath the foot of the mountain, deep into the earth, is an Earthpulse. Eizen has watched the birth of many earth malakhim occur here.

Malakhim come into existence different than humans. Even for a malak themselves, it can be difficult to understand. Some seem to appear from nowhere. Certainly that's what it seems like, when new malakhim appear at this Earthpulse without warning.

Without a familial bond like humans, where their blood connects them, it is natural that these malakhim appearing do not cause any emotion in Eizen. There is no connection to any of them. Their only similarity is their earth affinity; everything else, from appearances to personality, differs too much to consider family.

Still, this mountain, as Eizen's own place of birth, draws him here. He still visits frequently, often staying for long periods of time, as do many others to escape the world of humans.

He has never expected anything new to come from staying here. Never a different reason to stay.

That is why the day where he meets her, the day he found someone to love, comes as a surprise.

The tiny malak is born from the Earthpulse as all those before her. A blinding light envelops the child. From this moment, Eizen already knows that something about her is different.

It is this bundle easing down straight into his arms that confirms this.

He knows he shouldn't hold her. Those who stick by him are struck with the same misfortune that haunts him; how could he put a child through the same? As tough of an exterior he may seem to have, he would never endanger an innocent creature in such a way.

But her crying quietens. Her eyes blink up at Eizen. His heart stops, struck by an immediate rush of emotion for this child, as he stares back at her.

Of course, he's not sure if malakhim are also born with blue eyes as humans are, but to match so identically with his own … And for her hair to be the same, and the paleness of her skin …

He cannot explain how he reaches this conclusion. But the more he looks at her, the more he feels their connection, sees the string of fate binding them together.

He smiles, because after all those who have been born from this earthpulse, this is the first who he knows is family.

She is his sister. That is the only explanation he can reach.

He loses track of the time he spends, sat in a quiet area of the mountain with her. His fingers trail lightly down the side of her face. She appears to be asleep.

"I enjoy learning about the places I visit," he says. "I remember encountering some flowers one day, that remind me of your hair. So I think you should be called … Edna."

The child he has thought to be asleep opens those identical eyes and gives him her first smile.

* * *

“Come on! We’re almost there!”

“Edna, slow down. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

It’s incredible that such little legs can run away from Eizen so quickly. Even for being several years old, his sister feels particularly small. He has to keep a close eye on her sometimes. A little blur which seems to disappear right in front of his eyes.

He likes to give her space. Their bond is already rather unusual for malakhim, even others telling Eizen that they would expect the two to be human, born from the same parents. They are inseparable, and yet Eizen still knows that it is important for her to develop her own independence, little by little.

Even so, a rush of panic finds him when she begins to clamber up some rocks.

“Careful,” he says, hovering a hand behind her back. Granted, the rocks are only five foot high, yet she could still hurt her ankle. He easily steps up after her.

“I’m fine,” she says. “You’re such a worrywart, Eizen.”

“I am, huh?”

“Yeah. You’re annoying!”

“Annoying?” Edna bursts into a fit of giggles as his gloved fingers begin to tickle her sides. “ _Who_ is the one who gives you delicious food to eat?”

“Get off!” she squeals, batting his hands away. She stumbles over a rock concealed by grass, which halts her laughter as she falls on her backside. She is sniggering again in seconds, however. Her grin is wide as Eizen scoops her up with hands under her armpits.

“Going to say sorry?” he asks. With a hum, she rests her chin down on the scarf wrapped around her neck, kicking her feet into the air.

“Take me to the top of this mountain, _then_ I’ll see.”

“You’ve got it. Make sure that scarf is on real tight. It’s cold up on the summit.”

She nods, tightening her scarf a little once she is back on her feet. Eizen chooses not to mention that this mountain in particular is tiny compared to some of the others in the area. She appears rather prideful that she has managed to achieve this for the first time.

“You better not lose the food,” says Edna.

“It’s right here.” His hand pats a bag resting on his shoulder. “We’re going to have a picnic, so long as you don’t fall asleep on me.”

“I’m not even a _bit_ tired.”

Eizen merely smiles to himself over this, knowing that even if she is bursting with energy now, he will still likely be carrying her sleeping form back down the mountain.

Their continue to ascend. Despite how Edna is still happy to move along, humming quietly under her breath, Eizen is much less relaxed. He is glancing continuously at their surroundings, subtly so Edna doesn’t notice. He’d rather not worry her.

Even since before she was born, however, misfortune has always been a close friend of Eizen’s, and he has to bear this in mind every single day he is with her. Their shared love is a selfish bliss which Eizen knows he must protect.

His head swivels to the side, ears able to pick up the distant, faint sound of bushes rustling in the distance.

“Edna, stay close to me,” says Eizen, pulling the tiny girl back by her arm. She blinks those large eyes up at him curiously.

“What’s wrong?” she asks. Her only response is a furrow of Eizen’s brow. After he pats down on her head with his hand, he uses it to adjust the thick bracelet resting on his forearm.

The low, chilling sound of a growl, and of claws scratching through foliage on the ground; Edna lets out a scream as a four-legged beast leaps out from the bushes. _A wolf daemon,_ Eizen thinks to himself, tensing the muscles in his arm. He makes direct eye contact with the crimson eyes glaring at him.

“Eizen …” says Edna, edging a little closer to him.

“Not to worry,” he says. “It won’t get you.”

An enchantment circle appears at his feet; he’d rather be able to take out the beast from afar, sticking close to his sister’s side as much as possible. The beast growls, edging closer. By the time it kicks off from its hind legs, Eizen swings his hand away from himself with a bellow of, _“Air Thrust!”_

A flurry of powerful air circles and slices the beast. It roars out in pain, falling to the ground. Eizen pats Edna's shoulder, telling her silently to remain, before he sprints off the balls of his feet. A strong fist collides in the side of the daemon's head. A sequence of punches and kicks follow, obsidian flames soon engulfing it as it meets its end. But its death doesn't bring relief.

Eizen swivels around at the sound of his sister's scream. Several more of the beasts are approaching her, who is too paralysed by fear to do anything but take a fearful step back. But a brother's fear for his sister's life brings faster reflexes than a beast merely wanting to kill.

_"Stone Lance!"_ he bellows. Rocks send the daemon closest to Edna flying back. He follows the arte with rapid steps. A leap into the air, and his fist colliding with the ground; cracks form through the earth and blasts into the daemons. His punches follow, a blur of hits as strong as rock and swifter than wind. An arm reaches in front of Edna. His other hand stretches out, sending lances made of wind to the daemons.

A heavy breath escapes his lips. He watches them disperse, all except for one. Before he has the chance to attack it, a little girl's voice cries out, " _Stone Lance!"_

Eizens’s mouth drops open as the rocks form by the beast’s feet. Small, perhaps weak, but impressive for her first ever attempt at casting an arte. It’s enough to chip away at the last remaining life of the daemon. It vanishes, Eizen turning around to stare.

One of his initial puzzlements was how she was able to cast an arte at all without a weapon. This is answered by the umbrella she is holding out in front of her. She has been channelling her power into it, turning it into an unusual weapon, without him even knowing.

“That’s all of them, right?” she says as she peers around her. Her little legs are shaking, yet with a brave sense of determination, keep her rooted to the spot nonetheless.

He slides to the floor and brings her into a hug. “You’re okay, aren’t you? They didn’t hurt you?”

“No.”

A sigh is released, his hand holding the back of her head. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault they attacked us.”

“What? Why?”

“My Reaper’s Curse, it … Misfortune follows me wherever I go, Edna. It must have brought them to us as well.”

He feels her shake her head against him. She pulls herself back, a surprising strength evident in the eyes which match his own. “They were … daemons, right? And they attack anyone.”

“Yes, but because of the curse—”

“You fought them too. You saved me.”

“I did, but …”

This time, he is hesitant in his disagreements. Uncertainty dawns on him. Had it indeed been his misfortune that brought those monsters to them, or was it a coincidence? If it _was_ because of him, does that not matter because he could fight the consequences his curse brings anyway?

To bring devastation, only to unravel it himself and protect her … He cannot say if that is an excuse enough to have brought her into his life, that it justifies him doing so.

“And didn’t you see what I did?” Now standing several steps away from him, she swings her umbrella down in front of her. “I cast an arte all by myself and beat it!”

“That you did.” He reaches forward, patting her head. “How _did_ you do that? Have you been practising when I’m not looking?”

“Yep! I’ve always been pretty good at doing normal things, little tricks and stuff, and I wanted to get better.”

“You really are talented, you know. For malakhim like you, who ages more similarly to a human, it’s not common at all for you to develop skills this quickly.”

A grin stretches across Edna’s face. “Guess I’m special, then.”

“Yeah.” His voice has quietened, his own voice far softer than Edna’s. “You really are.”

He feels a flurry of emotions rush through his chest and, not wishing to display that in front of his sister, gets back to his feet, eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Come on. We were actually close to the summit before those daemons attacked.”

She takes his hand, happy to be lead the way. They walk towards the bright blue sky stretching over the horizon. The air is becoming colder, Eizen glad that Edna has her scarf and coat; she appears unaffected by the temperatures aside from a subtle shiver. Further they walk, up the overgrown pathway leading the way, before they finally emerge on even ground.

Edna’s eyes are wide and bright. She releases Eizen’s hand to laugh and run forward across the grass, bringing herself closer to the cliff’s edge. She halts short of it before Eizen has the chance to yell and stop her.

She turns around, shadowed by the sun beaming in the sky behind her.

“It’s so cool! Look at it all!”

“Isn’t it fascinating?” says Eizen. He follows her gaze not out of obligation, but by the same awe she possesses. Over the field of flowers swaying in the wind. To the sky penetrated by the taller mountains that surround them, swirls of clouds around their spires. Edna takes it all in for the first time. And Eizen basks in the joy of seeing this with family, almost as though he is bearing witness to it all for the first time as well.

He supposes that in a sense, he is. Wondrous sights, after all, are best shared with someone you enjoy having by your side. He has learned that since being with her.

“There’s really big mountains over there, too.” Edna points out to the taller mountains in the distance. “Will I be able to see them as well?”

“Absolutely. But it’d be a long journey. We’ll wait until you’re a little older.”

Edna pouts, but she doesn’t argue regardless, likely knowing that there is no way to combat her brother’s protectiveness. A smile reaches his face over this. He sinks down onto one knee in front of her, who watches curiously.

A hand reaches into the inside pocket of his coat. Eizen pulls out an object; a necklace, either side of its ribbon stretched out between both hands. A pendant sways gently from the bottom of it.

“This is for you,” he says.

“Did you make it?”

He nods. After loosening the scarf Edna wears, he pulls the ribbon around her neck, so the pendant rests on her collarbone. He ties it at the back in a bow. “It’s a little gift for you to remember me by.”

He straightens back up, Edna blinking up at him as his hand rests on her head. She stares in wonder, uncertain of what to say. Her delicate hands hold onto the pendant, her eyes flickering back down to it. A joyful, faint pink has dusted her cheeks. And she smiles with a warmth that fights away the cold of the mountainside.

“Remember you?” she says. “You sound _old.”_

Eizen lets out an almost bark-like left, caught off guard by the comment. “I _am_ getting on, but I’m still young for a malak. What I mean is that if there’s ever a time I’m not here with you, for any reason, you can hold onto that necklace and know that I’m right there besides you.”

“You’ll _never_ not be with me.”

His smile becomes strained. “Yeah. I’m going to do my best with that.”

With many hours remaining of the afternoon, meaning Eizen doesn’t yet have to worry about Edna hiking down the mountain in the dark, the two siblings sit on the grass together to appreciate the view.

It doesn’t take long for Edna to lie down, her head and shoulders resting on Eizen’s lap. The comfort sends her into a slumber. His fingers brush through her blonde hair. He wonders how long he can be with her, and if it is selfish of him to desire this to be forever; after all, he cannot say if it is wrong to bring her into danger, even if he has the power to protect her from it.

* * *

The shrieking of harsh winter winds invades through their windows. The glass is strong enough to not break, however, and still manages to mute the outside world to a degree; only an essence of chill enters with this sound, easily fought by how the pair are sat cross-legged by the fire.

Edna, older and a little taller, although still petite, rotates a stick of marshmallows in the flames with her other hand resting on her cheek. Her brother is leaning over. Between his legs is a rock he is steadily forming into the shape of what is _supposed_ to be a squirrel. Unfortunately, as much as Eizen possesses such a great passion for the arts, he is not quite talented in them himself.

“That’s good, if it’s supposed to be a daemon.”

Eizen exhales deeply. “Not quite, so I suppose it isn’t good at all. It’s quite awkward using artes to do this.”

“Then wouldn’t tools be better?”

“No, I’m even worse with them.”

“Heh. Sucks to be you.”

“Hey, you shouldn’t be forming a mouth like that at your age. Focus on roasting those marshmallows—you’ll only complain if they burn.”

“Ugh, you nag like a parent sometimes.” Regardless, Edna pulls the stick of marshmallows away from the fire a little. “Would be nice to do this outside again.”

“One of these days. Unfortunately the weather has simply been too severe as of late.”

Eizen casts a glance to the window as he says this. The snowstorm has been raging for what is nearly two weeks already. This shouldn’t pose a worry for malakhim, who can survive without food and water, however he sees living with an absence of both not living at all. Food, after all, is fuel for both your physical and mental well-being—for a malak like Edna, who grows steadily, he’d rather her have a full belly to allow her to be at her best.

Besides, food is simply delicious. Watching Edna’s inability to mask how much she enjoys certain dishes is priceless.

Fortunately, Eizen has become accustomed enough with possessing poor luck to be able to prepare for circumstances like these. The decreasing temperatures and sharper winds were easy to notice. Before the weather became this extreme, he had ensured to head out with Edna to hunt meat and gather produce.

She is certainly gaining the life skills she needs, despite how much she often complains. It is strange to imagine how vulnerable and tiny she had been only several years prior.

“There we go,” says Edna, pulling back the skewer from the fire. “Didn’t burn them after all.”

“That you didn’t. They look nicely toasted.” He places the miserable attempt at carving to one side, instead scooping up a bowl of chocolate he has melted in advance.

“Guess this will do as a dessert.” Despite her words, Eizen knows she is kidding; there’s a light in her eyes as she blows on of the marshmallows and pulls it off the stick. This only heightens when she dunks the marshmallow in chocolate.

“Sometimes I think you’re growing up too quickly. You’re getting a bit too sassy.”

“But isn’t there malakhim who end up getting born in a grown form?” Edna asks, licking a bead of chocolate about to drip on the form. “I’m growing up slowly compared to them.”

“That’s true, at least. You age quite similarly to a human.”

“Why is that?”

Eizen pauses. He’s never quite considered this properly, only ever a passing thought. His thoughts are always preoccupied by caring for her.

“Ageing is unique to us,” he says. “You’ll likely stop growing once you reach your full power, although simultaneously, we have some control over our appearances. Perhaps because you’re growing up with me as your big brother, as though we are human siblings by blood, you grow like that subconsciously.”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

His lips curl with amusement. “It means that you grew up this way without properly thinking about it. You were also born as a baby, so perhaps me taking you in had some sort of effect. The birth of malakhim and how we grow is still a mystery, some of the time.”

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. We’re brother and sister either way, right?”

“Right.”

She always will be, no matter what happens. He watches as she bites into another marshmallow. A part of him is glad that his role in her life could have a possible effect on how she grew. After all, from the moment he looked into her eyes, a blue which never changed … he knew that they were family. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind, his resolve to protect her igniting when he saw her first smile, saved for only him.

Is this the true intention of the Earthpulse? Had they truly meant to join together, bonded by such strong similarity that they truly are siblings? Was it fate that they met?

He realises that it does not matter either way. Even if their similar appearances and path to each other was merely great coincidence, the bond they share is real, regardless if the same blood is running in their veins.

_We can work past the Reaper’s Curse,_ he thinks to himself. Confident for once that his presence is allowed to be around her, he casts aside the memories in his mind of when his luck has put danger in their path. From falling trees to daemons, to this storm raging outside … Perhaps all will be well after all.

It’s precisely the moment he allows himself to be optimistic, that he is dragged back to the reality of his cursed life.

“What’s that?” says Edna, their heads shot up as a yell can be heard in the distance.

It is quick to be followed by a sound which chills Eizen right to the bone. A terrifying roar that rattles their cores, dust seeping through the cracks of the ceiling. He knows that there is only one monster that can create such a sound.

“Stay here,” he orders his sister.

“But—”

“Stay here, unless you find yourself in danger! Then I want you to flee from the village and head down the mountain, do you understand?”

“But what about you?”

Both are on their feet. Eizen takes hold of her shoulders—so slight, enveloped in a tremble—and hopes his eyes bear his resolve. “I’ll be all right. I’ll follow you, I promise. I just need to make sure you can get out of here safely.”

She is clearly desperate to argue. Her teeth bite at her lip, tears welling in her eyes. But to Eizen’s relief, she nods. He places a swift kiss to the top of her head before he rushes out of the bungalow.

There are no anomalies outside, aside from the waft of smoke swirling with the mist. There are screams, however, and another terrifying roar. He heads in the same direction despite how his instincts tell him to do anything but.

It takes little time for the sight to turn incredible. Horrific, yet strangely mesmerising, as though your eyes shouldn’t witness it in anything but a book or your worst nightmares. A dragon’s claws swiping at a trio of malakhim who attempt to flee, smashed straight into one of the cliff walls surrounding them. Fire has enveloped numerous of the village’s buildings. The dancing flames contrast with the sweeping wind filled with snow, only encouraged to burn higher from its ferocity; Eizen’s eyes water and chest tightens from the smoke.

“Eizen!” His head swivels to a malak running to him, donning the traditional robes of wind. “Where’s Edna?”

“She’s back home,” says Eizen, staring up at the dragon. The distance between them provides no comfort, even now whilst the dragon is distracted by artes shot in its direction. “Where did it come from? Not a villager?”

The malak shakes his head. “No, it came from somewhere else. But I’m worried about anyone who might—”

His words are interrupted by another roar from the dragon. The artes appear to be doing little more than infuriating it. Fire ignites in its mouth, embers escaping through pale yellow fangs; malakhim dive out of the way of this fiery breath.

As Eizen dodges himself, he swivels his head back, terrified that the dragon’s fire will hit his and Edna’s home. He finds his worry elsewhere when he sees Edna herself heading towards him. Terrified, but able to step forward nonetheless.

_“Edna!”_ Eizen yells. “I told you to run!”

“I can’t go without you!”

“You—”

Another inferno is sent to the ground. This time, stray flames catch the side of Edna’s face. Eizen’s hand clutches the hand of another fallen malak to help her off the ground.

“Run with her, get to safety!” he demands. With the young malak so adored by others in the village, the woman doesn’t hesitate to nod. She and someone else begin to pull a screaming Edna away by her hands.

Eizen turns back to the dragon, who stares straight back; now his sister is lead away and the surviving malakhim are fleeing, he finds that his fear is being replaced by sheer determination. He conjures a flurry of rock spires at the dragon’s feet. As it snarls, momentarily distracted, Eizen leaps into the air and lands a punch in its chest. He knew it was futile before the collision. The scales are much too rough, and he knows that he cannot defeat it with his power alone. He also has no expectation for the villagers to stay and take it on. Many people here, after all, are those who are not interested in being powerful, but rather living in serenity and away from humans. He only chose the same life so he could grant the same peace to his sister.

Now look what this wish has done, for Eizen, with his history of endless misfortune and devastation, can only imagine that his curse has emulated into this.

His hands slam into the ground. Golden chains erupt from the cracks within it, tightening themselves around the dragon’s legs. It will not hold; his arms are already trembling underneath the exertion of fighting against the dragon’s struggles. But it will give his sister time to get away from here, for hopefully, the dragon is only here in passing, or desires the land rather than its residents.

Eizen leaps back once the dragon escapes the chains. Another arte, and another. They hurt the dragon, but do not defeat it.

It’s not until something else rises from the smoke that Eizen can will himself to flee as well. When a smaller form stands up on its legs; a drake which has likely come from one of the malakhim on the floor, injured as opposed to dead.

Eizen’s eyes flicker over his shoulder. There’s no sign of those who had fled. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, accepting that there is little more he can do to hold off the dragon. They open again when more artes have been cast on the other side of the dragon.

“Go, Eizen!” shouts a malak, a friend; he stands with several others, clearly not yet beaten by the dragon. “We’ll get the attention back on us, just go!”

Eizen’s head bows. This will not be the first time he has lost those he cares about because of his curse. And as much as they would try to reassure him otherwise, that there must be another reason for this attack, he knows this is not the case. The village by the Earthpulse has been peaceful for years. It is likely his stay, the pitiful luck accumulated over the years, that has brought this attack to them today.

Many have been hurt because of him over time. This is simply the worst it has ever been.

Overcome with a desperation to see if his sister is safe, however, he is soon following in her direction. His breaths are shallow as he runs; the air is blackened by smoke. If only this village was also home to water malakhim.

Further down the mountainside, the air is cleared from smoke, yet not of a purple fog, barely noticeable by eye, which swirls through the air. The taboo concept of malevolence.

It is unsurprising, when dragons are the beast which contains so much of it. Malakhim themselves cannot accumulate malevolence. Even so, that does not mean they cannot be affected. That dragon and newborn drake is proof. Eizen’s chest tightens, silently mourning those who have never had a way to return back to normal.

In reality, it must be mere minutes that it takes Eizen to travel down to the foot of the mountain, for the village is not high. It feels like far longer. And even when he finally finds the crowd of malakhim circled together, he does not find himself all that reassured.

“Eizen!” one shouts. “We were attacked by daemons as well, managed to escape, but—”

“I’m fine! He doesn’t need to worry!”

“Edna.” He could recognise that voice from a thousand miles away. He rushes forward, figures stepping out of the way for him. Edna’s arm is currently being healed by another earth malak. Judging by its awkward position, it is broken.

“It’s fine,” she says quickly. “I’m not the only one who was hurt, and he’s healing it now.”

But these words do not reassure him. Nor does the cut across her cheek, the burn on the other side. His gloved hands cup her face. Underneath his palms is an orange glow, healing the injuries underneath, but no amount of healing can atone for all of this.

His voice is quiet as he speaks. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“No it’s not. You didn’t make that dragon come.”

He merely shakes his head, unable to meet her eyes. Glancing at the people around him does little better. Their expressions have been replaced by wariness, by mistrust, as they realise that Eizen’s curse could very well be what put the end to the village they have lived in for so long.

“There,” says the malak who has been healing her arm. “It should be all right if she watches it. It’s too bad we don’t have a water malak with us—that would have been better …”

“Thank you. I appreciate you healing her.” His hands take her shoulders. “We all need to get away from here. It’s not safe to stay so close to the mountain.”

Though all are in agreement, it is only Edna who does not look at Eizen with an expression of uncertainty, like they are seeing him for the first time.

* * *

It's easy to lose count of all the reasons that Eizen loves Edna so.

The older she gets, the sassier she becomes, yet never does she lose her heart of gold. She is strong, stronger than one would expect from such a petite girl. This is in both her body and her mind.

And love. She is filled with so much love, so much care for Eizen, that he sometimes wonders what he did to deserve her. She'll tease him about it, yet she's supportive of his passions. The best nights are when the two fall asleep together as they cuddle on the sofa.

His entire life changed from this one malak. For someone else, they'd be mad to even consider letting it go.

But he is not like them.

"I don't understand."

She's taller now. Bolder as well, less afraid to speak her mind. Leaning against the wall of their current home is the umbrella she has now truly mastered.

He has had to, after all, ensure that he helps train her strength enough to protect herself, but simultaneously also has others looking out for her.

"You're going to go? Go _where?"_

"Edna—"

"No. No, I don't get it, and I don't _want_ to get it."

It hurts to look at her face. The pain he has caused her is bad enough; the worst is how beneath that pain and shock, a flicker of realisation is there as well, as though she's been waiting for this to happen.

"My curse is only going to hurt you," he says. "It _has_ hurt you. I need to go and find a way to remove it."

"So what? Why can't I help you?"

"Because it's that very curse that's putting you in danger, Edna. I have to go alone."

"I don't _care_ about all that!" Her narrowed eyes are so fierce that Eizen cannot bring himself to look away. "I don't care about some stupid curse. With or without it, you're still you, Eizen. I don't want to lose you."

"And I don't want to lose you, either. I'm terrified of being the reason you could die."

"Terrified? You? The Eizen I know doesn't let anything scare him."

She is quite right. Generally, he is fearless. But she is the one person who makes him vulnerable enough to face fear. Her existence brings about an array of positive emotions, and he cannot imagine his own life without hers anymore.

She also brings about the negative side to his heart. A side that _can_ be frightened, bringing about a desperation to keep her safe. He must do that even if it means hurting her in the process.

"You wouldn't be the first." His voice has quietened, enough for even a flicker on Edna's firm expression. "Others have been hurt, even killed because of me. That was bad enough. But _you_ _—_ Edna, I'd rather go to Hell and back than lose you."

A silence falls. Her arms are folded, fingertips tapping against her upper arm. Thinking, feeling. Affection and appreciation run through Eizen, because it's clear that Edna is trying to understand him, despite how much she is hurting.

She knows he is trying not to cause her pain. But that awareness cannot stop this from consuming her regardless.

"I don't want to lose you either," she says. Her own voice has weakened. "Don't you realise how strong I'm getting? That I can look after myself, no matter what happens?"

A strained smile appears on his face. "Many of the comrades I've lost because of my curse were strong as well. It doesn't discriminate against anyone, and there are certain deaths that are unavoidable, regardless of your strength."

When there is no reply, Eizen allows himself to walk to the side. Edna watches out of the corner of her eye as his fingers trail over the frame of a painting above the fireplace. He bought it for Edna's sixth birthday several years ago. Swirls of paint created by an artist he knows, capturing the two siblings' moment of love with the highest accuracy an outsider could reach.

It is Edna who breaks the silence. "What if you couldn't break your curse? Would that mean we'd never be reunited?"

"I don't know," is his answer, a partial lie; after all, though he is highly sure of what fate awaits him if he doesn't lift the curse, he still cannot know for certain.

He does not quite leave her yet. Though it is truthful that being riddled with guilt is a contributor, he also knows he simply loves her too much to let go. He has known this must be his path since the dragon attacked. In fact, it is likely even longer. Even so, it has taken him a long time to accept, _too_ long, for he knows it is cruel to put her life in jeopardy because of his own selfishness.

He does leave, one day. It takes all of his strength to do so. He hates himself for this being the only way, and hates his cowardice even more so; he has only managed to leave by doing so without a proper goodbye. His resolve would have crumbled underneath her suffering gaze. A letter, pages long and with everything he has not been able to say aloud, does not seem enough.

But that is all he can do. Keep sending her letters, gifts, as he begins to search for the end of all this.

She sends them back at first. This doesn't cause Eizen to lose hope; simply the act of sending them back, rather than throwing them away, shows she at least acknowledges her own pain and her anger at Eizen. He wouldn't expect anything else.

And because she has already gone through that period of sending them back, Eizen feels a sense of victory, rather than disappointment, when he receives nothing. She is reading the letters. His carefully picked gifts are kept. Though he yearns for her to speak to him, he can at least find solace in her listening. To simply know that she takes his words to heart.

Never does he dwell on the negatives when he speaks to her, about how they are apart and how Eizen's searching, so far, is fruitless. He tells her stories instead. That of his travels, of the gifts he gives to her and where they come from. He reminds her that he doesn't want her to feel trapped. She can choose to venture out herself if that is what she wishes for, more than old and strong enough to do so. He simply wishes for their paths to not cross in person until the day he can say she'll be safe by his side.

And as time goes on, he cannot say for sure that this day will come. He has found another family now, that of Aifread's crew, who care not for how his curse brings treacherous seas—if anything, they welcome the thrill, the adventure. They have accepted him for who he is even with the curse.

One day, he will have to tell her of his new life of a pirate, that he is beginning to accept that his curse is a part of him. But this is the one area of his life in which he is a coward.

No matter how he hides the truth, and how he imagines that Edna knows this, she does reply to him one day. She tells him how she would love to meet his new comrades. Eizen smiles, overcome with emotion from seeing his sister's writing on paper in so long, as snow drifts by him onto the floor.

It gives him a reason to come out of this upcoming battle alive. Because even if he may never lift his curse, perhaps, just perhaps, they might still cross paths again after all.

* * *

It's a pleasant feeling, she thinks, to finally speak to him again.

A lot of time has passed. Centuries, even. It amazes her how their time together is so fresh in her mind, when in reality, it was only a brief period of her existence. It remains in her mind as though it only happened a year ago.

The brother she grew to love more than anything in this world, only for him to leave.

As she has only just began to develop the maturity to understand why he did it. Does she agree? Of course not. She dwells on it far more than she should. But these days, she cannot hate Eizen for it, nor can she even see a path where he didn't leave her. She can despise how he has done so whilst still knowing it could have been for the best.

Perhaps that is why she is able to do write back. She's finally ready to talk about herself in return, because she understands now that Eizen wants to hear it and know about her life. He simply cannot be there to see it himself.

It's wonderful for some time. It almost feels like home again, to correspond with him properly. Perhaps if it keeps up, she will actually be able to meet the comrades he met at last.

Or at least, this is what she believes, up until the letters stop.

They've slowed down for a while. Eizen has appeared to be less enthusiastic, Edna wondering if it's because his curse has been particularly rampant. Never did she expect the replies to simply stop.

And for a short while, she is furious at Eizen, hating how leaving wasn't enough; he had to stop speaking to her, too. But she knows this cannot be the case. Eizen left _for_ her. He would never, until something actively stops him, stop cherishing his little sister.

_He's in trouble,_ is the conclusion Edna comes to, as she twists the Normin hanging off her umbrella—Eizen's last gift to her—between her fingers. That is the only explanation.

Enough time has passed. She's not a little girl anymore. She will go find him, find out in person why he has not spoken to her. If something truly has happened to him, she must know.

The world is vast. Its land has changed over time by artes. Trying to find a location from the past is difficult, but she must do what is necessary.

She cannot tell Lailah, or any other friends of this. She doesn't exactly know why, other than she simply has a drive to go alone.

Back to the beginning of it all. Fragments of ruins of their old village still remains. Her light footsteps takes her over the scraps of wood and concrete, somehow working of their own accord and bringing her to what she knows once had been her home.

She must be correct, for on a rock surrounded by the remains of their history, are objects; upon closer inspection, she finds a pair of boots and a single glove. Even before she reads the letter placed by them, now in her trembling hands, she knows who they belong to.

_'Edna,_

_I never had the heart to tell you I could never quite stop the curse. But I'm sure after this much time, you are very much aware._

_I promise I did what I could. Unfortunately, that curse and all the sins I bear carry so much weight, even I cannot stop their consequences._

_I don't have long, so I cannot quite say all that I wish to tell you. But Edna, I love you. From the moment I held you in my arms, I knew you were by sister. I still don't know how it's possible. But I'm thankful for it nonetheless._

_I'll always be with you, no matter not. Please don't ever forget me._

_I know that I cannot forget you._

_Eizen'_

Edna's tears have blotted the parchment. She is unsure of what other emotions to process. If he's dead, or something else—as she places the letter down and reaches for the single glove, she's not sure of anything but this grief.

A roar outside jolts her hand back. Her eyes widen in horror. It brings her back to that day, the day that changed everything. This time, however, there is no one holding her back.

She rushes outside, to the direction of the noise. Her face is still drenched in tears as she stares up at the massive form stood on a pile of rocks.

Somehow, despite how there is not an ounce of resemblance, the truth crushes her as the beast makes eye contact.

A trembling, weak voice is carried away by the wind.

"Eizen?"


	2. Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Centuries ago, Eizen became a dragon. Life has come to a stop since the day they were reunited. Now, as she meets someone who will help take her on the path to saving him, it continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your love on the first chapter! I was a bit delayed getting to posting this one, due to wanting to make sure the third chapter was finished first. But I hope you enjoy!

He always comes back here, for some reason.

All sense of humanity is scrapped once you become a dragon. The malevolence you have been exposed to taints you, enslaving the mind, removing all conscience and control. All that is left on your mind is destruction. A mindless beast, ready to unleash horrors on all around it.

Even so, Eizen still comes back here, to the place where he and Edna met. And Edna, with nothing else to do than keep searching for answers, follows. She will always follow.

Is it perhaps the power that lies within the Earthpulse? So much concentrated mana, memories left behind, fills this mountain. It'd be unsurprising for such a strong creature to crave being close to it.

But this is not the only Earthpulse point in the world. Eizen told Edna about this before in his letters, as he and his comrades had to search for them. So why here? Why does he return to this mountain specifically, now named Rayfalke, when there are other suitable places for him?

He always returns here. And the reason that Edna cannot help but cling to is the thought that somewhere, deep down, Eizen knows this is home.

Is it wishful thinking with no concrete backing? Perhaps. This loneliness building up in her heart, her desperation for him to return to her, could be the reasons for her grasping at straws. But she's also far from naive. She would not hurt herself with pointless hope.

There is no denying, however, that even if Eizen remains here because he feels a connection to his old home, he's still without humanity. He does not recognise her. Her voice doesn't reach him, and her tears mean nothing.

He doesn't love her anymore.

That is far painful than anything else she has ever endured with Eizen. At least before, she lost him because he loves her. He still stayed in contact regardless of what he was forced to do. Never once did she believe they lost their love.

Now she is the only one with love bursting in her chest. She's the only one between them who cares.

"It's me!" she screams to him. "It's your sister, remember?"

A mighty tail has swung towards her. She evades with tears beginning to blur her vision. Retreating always feels like failure. Time and time again, she fails to reach him.

How guilty she feels now. When she looks back at her past and recalls how long she spent ignoring Eizen's letter, she is furious with herself, wishing she could go back in time to make the most of what she is going to lose.

And how did she ever not know? It always seemed to be mere negativity … To think Eizen had been waiting for this to happen—or at least, that is what Edna suspects … How did she never know?

The only apology she can give is bringing him back to normal. But there's no recorded history of a dragon being purified. The silver flame had been gifted to the world to cleanse it, yet its embers are still not enough to burn away that which is most evil.

Since Artorius' period, Shepherds have began to change. The title is now given to those who cherish the ideals that Artorius feigned to have. To want to purify the world and protect all in it, but not to take control like the man before them. Wielding the silver flame, they now have the power to do so, to not throw away lives to achieve a desired world.

So why? Why is it still not enough?

Their power is wasted. It's used to vanquish the evils that humans themselves create, sins that they lose themselves in. They kill each other in pointless wars that bring about nothing but conflict.

Evil. Such pure, unforgivable evil, to take innocent lives, dwell in riches whilst the poor suffer, hurt each other for personal gain …

How dare the Shepherds waste their breath saving those who are forsaken? They choose other humans, dreadful humans, over finding a way to save those who were cursed by the malevolence they themselves cannot generate.

Those like her brother, who didn't deserve to be transformed into this monster. A monster who has been left alone.

Edna sinks to her knees once she is out of harm's way. Her fist, covered in her brothers glove, hits the floor. Tears are still in her eyes. But now, as she listens to the roar behind her, they are filled with fury rather than misery.

She will do this alone if she must. Eizen and the comrades he loved … That must have been something special. A one in billion chance. Because there is no possible way she will meet humans like that. There is no one to help her with her brother.

_I'll save you, Eizen,_ is what she thinks to herself, although how she will do so with her own frail hands, she cannot know.

* * *

Many more years pass. Decades. As a seraph, the concept of time becomes blurred. Time itself doesn't matter. What matters is the memories you create in that time. Even so, Edna still cannot help but feel guilty as the years go by, worried by how much she is wasting.

And she grows to detest humans more and more. She doesn't even seek out other seraphim. Perhaps she hasn't the heart to form a bond with anyone else, when she has already lost who she loves the most.

That is why she is startled when she sees them. Visitors have come to this mountain. And not only that, but she recognises the one who stands in the middle of the trio's heights—a woman with long, flowing hair, tipped with faint red.

"Oh, Edna … I can't believe it! You, a dragon …"

An amused smile tugs at Edna's lips. It's the first smile that she has had for a long time, she realises now. Trust Lailah to think Edna would let herself be contaminated by malevolence. Edna, who has done nothing to fight the swirling chaos around her to stay by her brother's side.

"Nope. Guess again."

Her umbrella is raised in front of her. A rock spire shoots out from the ground in front of Eizen, blocking his path. As the trio stares at the arte in shock, Edna lowers her umbrella in front of her.

Lailah must have turned to her by now. "There are two Ednas?"

"Your conclusion is peculiar."

Even so, when Lailah’s arms are wrapped around her, she realises how much she has noticed the lack of touch she has had from another. How long she really has been alone. And she knows Lailah is the same, glad to know Lailah finally has companions again—as much as she remains her sarcastic self. Ugh. It is annoying after all, that they’ve just walked into a dragon’s domain like this.

And when she asks why they’re here ...

“Oh, yeah. I’m Sorey. We need you to lend us your power.”

Ah. Of course. Because even if malakhim regained their own freedom, stripped themselves of the control that humans have over them, humans have never quite realised how entitled they are. How selfish they are. Bridge or no bridge, it doesn’t matter to her. She’d rather not help them.

“I despise earth-dwellers. Self-centred, emotional … But when they need something, it’s ‘Oh dear seraphim, heed my prayer!’ Heed this, morons.”

That is why she doesn't trust the green-eyed youth, even with something in those eyes that shine bright, that she saw before turning away. Hope. Determination. An innocence not yet destroyed by the harshness of the world.

Her walking comes to a stop. Head leaning down, the hands rotating the umbrella on her shoulder halting.

“And besides … I can’t leave my brother as he is right now.”

A small pause, before the Shepherd speaks again. “That dragon … he’s your brother?”

“Yes. That’s correct.” Her voice remains monotone, despite the aching of her heart. “That is Eizen. He’s the only family I have.”

“But … Edna, was it? It’s too dangerous for you to stay here!”

“That’s right.” The other male voice now, belonging to the apparent water seraph. “What do you even plan on doing?”

“Well, I … Um …” Her lips purse together. “I thought there had to be some way to cure his condition, but I haven’t found anything.”

“Well, there we go! I bet I can quell him.”

She finally faces them again. An eyebrow raises. This guy—Sorey, she recalls—must be fairly new to all of this. “Seriously?”

Lailah turns to Sorey, her brow creased. “Once a seraph has become a dragon, even the flames of purification cannot salvage them.”

“Are you saying there’s no way to save her brother?”

“The only option I know of is to kill him. If we even can, that is.”

She’s surprised that her voice has managed to not crack as she says this. It’s something she has thought of many times before. For a long time, she has been aware of the reality that a dragon cannot be purified. She has had to try to accept what the only salvation for him is.

At times, she has wondered if this is what he would want from her. If Eizen is no longer himself, would he prefer to be dead? Would he rather that be from the hands of someone he loves? Sometimes, she becomes frustrated that he never told her this, that he should have given her this answer if he did really know that he would become a dragon one day.

But she has never been able to bring herself to do it. It’s not as though she even has the power to do so alone. Never once did she try, however, and never has she attempted to find those who can. She doesn’t want others to kill him for her. She wants him to be saved.

And still the Shepherd persists, asking her to leave here … As though she can simply part from these mountains in which her brother dwells, leaving him to face the sword of the person who may one day actually be able to kill him.

She’s had enough of him. There is no way that he is as selfless as he acts, that he truly cares for her safety … It’s likely simply a ruse to get her to help him. That’s all humans want. They will never do anything purely out of the good of their hearts, without expecting anything back. All they think about is themselves. Greedy, arrogant, selfish—

Her footsteps stop. She stares down at the floor. Left there are three rocks on top of each other. They had surely not been there before, not a tower that would have been made by natural means …

“Edna!”

“What’s this?” she asks, without turning around to the trio behind her. There is no response. She can sense the mournful aura from the boy, and reaches a conclusion instantly. “Did you bury them?”

“Yeah. It was the least I could have done.”

“Huh …”

“Edna.”

“Enough. I don’t care how dangerous it is. I’m not going anywhere.”

She is now facing them, staring at Sorey’s face, waiting to see how he’d respond. His expression is difficult to read. He is surely sympathetic, yet there is no pity on his face. In fact, there is only resolve. It reminds her of the chivalry that who has the title of ‘Shepherd’ are supposed to have.

“Fine. Then let’s go together and find some way to save Eizen.”

The words almost take her off guard. “Didn’t I tell you already? There is no way.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Edna can only hum, her eyes widening out of surprise. It’s not exactly common for people to argue with her. And it’s even rarer for them to be persistent when hope is seemingly lost.

“The seraphim, the Shepherds, the dragons … They really did exist. There are still so many legends which have yet to be uncovered in this world. There must be a way to purify the dragons somewhere, just waiting for the right person to find it!”

He really does believe those words. It’s difficult to know whether to laugh at baseless optimism or to admire the determination that he must have. She had been mistaken; he is unlike other humans. Sure, Shepherds are supposed to purify malevolence … But what good would it do them to spend so much time trying to salvage what is already lost?

This isn’t some kind of obligation he has because he holds that title. He truly wants to help her, a girl he has never seen before in his life, until this day.

How strange of him.

Strange, yet when he says to give him a chance, it takes a lot not to smile. “All right, Sorey. You win. I’ll go with you.”

And ... something lifts from her chest. It’s difficult to say what, and she finds herself dwelling on this in the back of her mind as they continue to speak. Sorey cannot promise that he can save Eizen’s life. What they decide on is to save him, and Edna knows, as painful as it is to admit, that this could simply be allowing someone to help her kill him.

But perhaps it is that determination. The fact that this boy, who has never met Edna before in his life, wants to help. Heh. Seems suitable for a Shepherd, someone who is meant to be pure of heart.

Although something tells her that this is simply who Sorey is, Shepherd or not.

* * *

Inside the Tintagel Ruins, where they have joined forces with Dezel, the party wait for Rose to wake from her slumber. Edna pokes her umbrella at the ground. She’s glad to have the rest. Exploring is simply exhausting, and yes, that includes when she is simply dwelling inside a vessel. But she heard of how long it took Sorey to wake when Armatizing for the fist time, and boy, if she has to deal with those nerds in these ruins any longer …

Still, Sorey is currently inspecting the dragon statues that are situated here, and that catches her eye.

“Oh, the mighty power of the dragon,” she says as she creeps up behind him. His lack of jumping is disappointing—Rose was much more fun to play with.

“I was thinking about how it seems like they _worshipped_ dragons,” says Sorey. “It seems strange, and I was wondering if it might have been because there could have been dragons out there, living side-by-side with humans.”

“They’re not seraphim anymore, idiot. Hardly going to find that harmonious human and seraph co-existence you dream of here.”

“No, I know that. But just think—the world is so _vast,_ so full of things to discover. Who are we to say that there hasn’t been dragons out there who are different?”

“History says.” She shrugs. “Perhaps the guys who built these ruins just thought dragons were cool and strong.”

“Yeah, I agree that’s most likely it. But it just got me wondering about the possibility of it being different _somewhere.”_

Edna stays silent. She’s travelled the world enough to know that these things are typically set in stone. But as much as she hates baseless optimism … there is still a lot she hasn’t seen. History sometimes becomes lost as the years pass, but that doesn’t mean it never actually happened.

“Well, good luck. You’ll probably have to travel the entire world to find your answers.”

She should have known this would only cause Sorey to grin. “You’re in luck, because that’s my dream anyway.”

Though she scoffs, she does wonder if this means that he will learn more elsewhere. Edna had always felt chained to Eizen’s side. There is a lot she would have missed, scattered around the world she hasn’t seen.

And as time passes, as the party grow closer to each other, bonds forming, she realises that missing all of that made a hole in her heart. The kind that only companions can give.

It’s strange. Because before now, when she only had Eizen, the brother who cannot even remember her, she thought she was content with that loneliness. All that mattered was saving him. That remains her priority, however … There is something fulfilling, simply when travelling with them.

Is this what Eizen had felt, when travelling with friends?

The joy, the laughter, the sorrow and pain … He must have felt it all, too. And that thought makes her feel a little closer to him. The closest she has been since he became a dragon, she would say, even if she is not in his presence now.

She glances out the window of Pendrago’s inn. With the night sky above their heads, you cannot see the mountain range in the distance, but she knows it’s there. She wonders how Eizen is doing.

Never before has she considered dragons possessing any other emotion but pure, raw rage. Perhaps Sorey is making her soft. Because for a moment, it dwells on her mind that Eizen could be lonely.

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” says Sorey’s voice. “I wonder what is making Eizen stick there.”

Edna turns away from the window. She is sat at a dining table with the others, finishing a dessert Mikleo has been bullied into making. Dezel and Rose have gone for a walk after finishing; Lailah and the two nerds remain. “I’ve thought about it a few times. But I reckon that there’s just a big gathering of power there from the earthpulse.”

“Yeah, that’s a possibility. But … that mountain has formed and evolved from a place the two of you once knew, right? Maybe even in this state, it’s home to him.”

“Eh. Never wanted to get my hopes up.”

“This isn’t the only time a dragon as stayed in an area,” says Lailah. “One might say it’s simply because they’re territorial, or where malevolence gathers. Both of those might be true, but …”

“Perhaps in some cases, dragons can recognise that it’s home?” Mikleo questions. Lailah hums.

“It’s a possibility. And of course, there’s Eizen’s domain too, but even so … One does wonder why he would choose to rest there, above all else.”

“Maybe he knows it _is_ home,” says Sorey. “And … Well, to me at least, that gives me the impression of an animal more than a monster. I don’t know. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I just can’t help but feel like there’s some kind of deeper meaning to him staying there.”

“ _Definitely_ overthinking it,” says Edna, after swallowing the last of her ice cream. “He’s a dragon. Dragons probably like big, scary mountains. He made his domain there. Bam, done. Meebo, give me seconds.”

“That _was_ your seconds!”

“But you were in the area,” says Lailah slowly. “Is it impossible that Eizen returned to you, whether consciously or not?”

“I—” Her head lowers. “I don’t really know. I guess not. But he’s not recognised me for even a moment I’ve been there.”

And that is probably one of the largest reasons why she is glad to be elsewhere other than Rayfalke. To see her brother continuously not recognise her, try to attack her if she gets too close … It is agonising. The thread between them has been torn. And to live there, day after day and knowing he simply doesn’t know who she is … Perhaps whilst she was there, she never properly comprehended how much it hurt her. It took moving herself away from the pain to see how she has become desensitised to it.

But she’d be lying if she said she hasn’t wondered about this. Especially when Eizen sees her, yet leaves her be. Perhaps at a certain distance, she is no more than a fly that he will squat if she gets too close.

Or perhaps she is wrong, and there really is a deeper meaning to it all.

Only time can tell.

* * *

Life itself seems different. Edna isn’t sure on how to describe it, other than intense. It’s not as though any emotion she experiences is suddenly amplified. But … there is simply so many of them she is feeling.

Positive emotions are included. But what surprises her the most, for she has never suffered for anyone but Eizen, is that fateful night in Pendrago, when they lose Dezel. And she realises that her brother is not the only person she cares for anymore.

It’s difficult to comprehend. What with all of Dezel’s mistakes, his flaws—but he has proved how caring he is as well, deep down, and how he would have loved to continue travelling with them. _I’ll miss him,_ is what Edna realises. And that simple thought allows her to see that these aren’t simply comrades she travels with to save her brother, anymore.

That is the goal on the horizon. But the journey to achieve it matters as well.

It’s a long, cruel night. They struggle to sleep. Their new unfortunate companion, Zaveid, doesn’t even try too much to lighten the atmosphere. Even he knows. They need time to process this information, figure out what it means. The weight that they each bear on their aching shoulders. And Sorey, someone so pure who is having to bear the despair of the world, and not allow that to taint him, has to find what all of this means. What answers he needs to discover as the Shepherd.

It makes Edna fearful. Perhaps this death means that they will decide this is the only retribution for Eizen, too. Would she be able to accept that, like they have with Dezel? She finds it wrong to deem time as a meaning for how much a death will hurt. Look at Sorey and Mikleo; they have known each other for a tiny amount of time in comparison to how long Edna has been Eizen’s sister, and yet she knows how much it would devastate either of them to lose the other.

But is anyone here as close to Dezel as she is with Eizen, even Rose? Does it hurt as much?

Things are unclear. She cannot say if she can mourn and move on from Eizen in the same way they are doing so for Dezel. And yet, it’s almost like everything is becoming clearer, too.

What it means to be in grief. How one has to keep their head high.

But, on the flip-side, how Edna is realising that she does not want to go through this again. Not for someone she, or even _they,_ love. She doesn’t want to lose anyone else. And Sorey ... Bless that heart of his, even if she would never say it. Even now, as the responsibilities on his shoulders only get heavier, as he visibly and emotionally matures as months pass them by, he still remembers his promise to her.

That’s exactly like Sorey, to never forget a promise he makes to someone. He didn’t feed her pretty words to get her to come along. He meant every one, about finding an answer, and everywhere he goes, he is searching for that information which may come in use.

He is incredible. She has to admit it. The moment the two met, she knew something was different about him. He wasn’t like other humans. Not selfish, not cruel, only thinking of themselves. But he’s not so blind that he will _only_ think about others. Those are certainly his priority, and there has been countless times he has put their needs before his own, not understanding that he cannot bear everything alone.

Although it isn’t chivalry alone that urges him on, sends him on this adventure to save the world. It’s not because others deem it as ‘good.’ It’s all part of his dream, it’ll help him, and that in itself may seem selfish to others; to use your destiny to quell the sins of this world as a means to achieve your dreams.

To Edna, it’s yet another reason to take him seriously.

“I’m sorry that I’ve not spoke about Eizen to you much, lately,” says Sorey. “I’ve been thinking of him. But there’s so much more, too.”

Out of the corner of Edna’s eye, she notices Mikleo’s form become that little smaller.

“Yeah, I know. You have a big ol’ nap to take to help the world.”

A slight smile appears on Sorey’s face. “Yeah. Something like that. I’m not sure how long it’ll take, exactly. And it’s made me think about how there’s still things to be done.”

“You were going to find answers in ruins,” says Mikleo. His voice is fairly quiet. “But naturally, you can’t exactly do that if you’re in the process of purifying the Earthpulse.”

Sorey shakes his head. “No, I know that. Which is why I said what I said to you, Mikleo. I don’t expect my dreams and goals to simply disappear, not when you’re here.”

“Yeah. I know. And I’ll help, you know I will, I just—I hope there will be a day when you can go and do that yourself, too.”

“I don’t plan on sleeping forever. I’ll continue on from where I left.”

“Or where I left, specifically.” Mikleo pushes himself up off the wall, heading to the door leading to this inn’s room. “I’ll happily carry on your dreams—both of yours. But it’s not the same if you never return to it yourself.”

Mikleo heads out of the room. Edna glances between them, wondering if Sorey is going to follow. His eyes return to Edna instead.

“Not chasing after Meebo?” she questions. “He seems pretty upset, you know.”

“I know he is. I’d expect no less from him. But at the moment, I need to talk to you.”

“About Eizen.”

He nods. “Edna, I can’t prioritise Eizen over my duty to stop Heldalf. This is a fight I can’t put off for much longer. Not if I don’t want everything we have achieved so far to start wasting away. And that means I don’t have much time left to question this further, either, and explore more to get answers.”

Her head lowers. “I know that.” She readies herself for Sorey to suggest they finally bring about Eizen’s death, for without the power of the Shepherd on her side, would the salvation of death ever be granted to Eizen?

What she does not prepare herself for is, “But I swear to you that I will lay the foundation for a brighter future, for both of you.”

Edna straightens again, mouth open. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been thinking. The silver flame of purification … That began during the legend of the first Shepherd, a thousand years ago. When you think about it, that’s not a great period of time … Not to discover everything the world offers. The same world that Eizen saw, and I want you to see, too.” The hand that wears the Shepherd’s glove clenches into a fist. “And since then, all this malevolence has been swirling in the Earthpulse, Maotelus himself using this land. Even though purification came to be, it’s still difficult to say that it’s reached its full potential, right?”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“I don’t either,” Sorey admits. “But … I just have a feeling that sleeping with Maotelus, purifying him, is going to do a lot of good for the world. That we’ll be able to purify _all_ hearts, now that the malevolence beneath them is gone. I don’t want you to give it all up because I’m gone.” Sorey smiles at Edna, and she’s reminded of exactly why she has journeyed with this boy—no, by now, man seems more fitting, with how much he has matured, whilst simultaneously never losing himself. “I don’t want to kill Eizen when we cannot know what comes after. I’d like to go see him, one last time, before we go to Elysia. But I don’t think that’s the day we will have to kill him.”

Edna nods slowly. “… Okay. I don’t think we’ll get through to him, but … If anyone can, I think you could.”

That smile grows. “Thank you. And that is something else I’ve thought about, too. In the past, when has a Shepherd, and their seraphim wielding the flames of purification, have truly stayed by the side of a dragon? I’ve heard all these grand tales of slaying them, putting to rest, after trying to purify them. But they’ve never gone further. They’ve never tried, and tried again, for the same dragon. How could one expect to push through to what’s inside if they barely try? If they resort to killing so quickly?”

There’s a moment of silence, Edna not breaking it as she watches that resolve in Sorey’s eyes. She’s almost mesmerised by it. “If I had to, then yes, I’d kill him. But I just have a feeling he’s in there somewhere. You’ve never had the right power on your side to break through to him, that’s all.”

“That’s all,” Edna echoes, chuckling. “You make it sound like a walk in the park.”

“Just another job.”

“As the Shepherd?”

“No, as your friend.”

Edna turns away to hide her smile, shaking her head to herself. “You’re hopeless, and still majorly bad at pick-up lines.”

“I’m not trying to—Edna, you really are my friend!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Her voice quietens. “Maybe … a brother is more fitting.”

“Sorry, I didn’t quite hear that.”

“It’s nothing.” She faces Sorey again, this time not hiding her smile. “Let’s do this thing, then.”

* * *

Edna is thrown through the air. She manages to land on her feet, one hand gripping tightly onto the handle of her umbrella as the other stabilises her on the ground. Skidding to a stop, she breathes out as her eyes fix up at the beast before her.

The mighty dragon roars, swinging its tail—Rose, currently Armatized with Zaveid, leaps up over it. Edna breathes out in relief. She might not want her brother’s death, but she wishes for the survival of her friends just as much.

She expects to flinch as she gets to her feet. However, a coolness is enveloping her, wiping away the pain. Her eyes find Mikleo, stood to one side, with his staff raised. She nods towards him in gratitude.

Her grip tightens on her umbrella. She jogs forward, swinging it to her side as an enchantment circle appears at her feet.

“Lailah or Mikleo can swap with you if you need it, Edna!” says Sorey, who rolls out of the way of Eizen’s claws. She shakes her head.

“ _Air pressure!”_ The arte surrounds Eizen, pressing his great stomach to the ground. The others have the chance to dive in.

“It might sound odd, but this may be the best way to get through to him,” she says. “Eizen was a fighter … And we have the flames of purification. If we just … If we’re careful, then _maybe—”_

Her eyes widen. Eizen’s attention is now on her. Flames gather in his mouth, escaping through his fangs. Edna tries to move her limbs, but they suddenly weigh heavier than they have ever been; she remains rooted to the spot, eyes fixed on those eyes.

_“Hephsin Yulind!”_

She barely has time to register Sorey’s shout before she is brought into his vessel. Her exhale echoes in the empty space. _“Thanks. Might have died, there.”_

“You’re tougher than that, but still, best to help you when you need it.” Sorey plants one fist into the ground, sending a shockwave towards Eizen. “Everyone, all at once!”

“You’ve got it, Sorey!” Rose shouts. Her blades form around her as she swings her arms. To the side, Lailah and Mikleo begin to cast their artes. Sorey leaps into the air as his arm and the gauntlet attached to it are pulled back.

His attack collides with the side of Eizen’s neck. Countless experiences together allow every hit to flow seamlessly after one another. Rose’s wind, Lailah’s fire, Mikleo’s water. Each attack one after the other.

And they keep going. Not with the desire to kill, but with the flames of purification dancing around them. Their hearts are poured into their attacks. To try and reach Eizen, even if it’s merely a little, and they will still walk away from here with Eizen no less of a dragon than before.

Edna is now separated from Sorey. His sword, enveloped in those silvery blue flames, launches to Eizen’s neck. Lailah follows. Eizen’s head swivels in each direction, unsure of who to target. His gaze only finds a solid target when Edna approaches.

And for once, as their eyes meet, she is not afraid. She is not on the verge of tears. Her head is high, back straight, eyebrows a determined crease on her forehead.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she says. “And I don’t want to kill you, either. I _will_ get through to you, one day.”

There’s a slight growl, but little more response than this. Not even a swiping claw at her or those who attack him.

“I don’t know if what I’m doing is just a death wish. It’s likely that all this will be for nothing. But Sorey has said some things to me, that makes me wonder if there really _is_ another path for you. So many pages are blank. How much do we really know about dragons? Who are we to say there’s not more to the legends?” Edna surprises herself by smiling. “How do we know that we’re not _part_ of that legend?”

Eizen is still, watching her. It’s impossible to tell if he is listening. He could very well be resting himself ready for his next attack. Either way, Edna is not going to allow herself to be fazed. She knew from the start this road is not an easy one.

“Edna!” Lailah calls, hand raising up to envelope Eizen in those silver flames. “I’m sorry, but I believe we should retreat soon, before we lose our energy.”

Edna nods. She’s not about to let herself _or_ her friends fall here. “There’s just one more thing, first.”

A final slash of Sorey’s enveloped blade sends he and Edna’s comrades falling back. Edna herself, meanwhile, walks towards Eizen. The latter’s eyes shift from Sorey to her. He bears his teeth. Edna doesn’t flinch.

“Zaveid, use your chains if he tries to attack,” says Edna.

“You’ve got it.”

She is as close as she has ever been, when not Armatized with Sorey. His great, clawed feet are so close, another step and she could touch him. Her head hangs back to fix her eyes up at him.

“Even if you’re being a pain right now,” she says, “I still love you.”

A roar is released from the dragon. Not of rage, out of the desire to cause destruction—no. Something else that she has never heard before in her life. A sound that almost sounds like confusion.

His head lowers, fangs readying themselves to sink into her. But she trusts the man who swore to Eizen that he would protect her from this dragon. As expected, golden chains erupt from the ground at Eizen’s face. They bind his jaw shut, weighing down against his neck so it lowers. Now, he is right there, in front of her, smoke emitting from his jaw as he pants.

Those eyes … They’re as frightening as ever, but something new is there, almost as though the dragon is wary. Perhaps even afraid.

“It’s okay,” says Edna quietly. “I don’t know why you might be scared, but … I promise, I’ll make everything all right. You did all you could to protect me, even if I didn’t agree with it. It’s about time I was the one to protect you, too.”

She reaches for Eizen’s jaw. He growls underneath the chains, head swaying against them, but all it does is make her pause enough for him to become adjusted to how close she is. One boot— _Eizen’s_ boot—is then brought up onto Eizen’s nose.

“Whoa, Edna!” Zaveid shouts. “What’re you doing?”

“It’s fine,” she says, more to the two of them, her and her brother, than to Zaveid. She reaches into the pocket of the shorts she wears underneath her dress. Out from it is a woven bracelet, large enough for her to attach it around one of the horns on Eizen’s head. His growls increase, shaking his head and trying to thrash off the chains, but she remains stable.

“We match now,” says Edna, holding up her arm that bears no glove; a matching bracelet, woven from yellow, orange and brown thread, slides down from her wrist. “It’s my promise to stay with you.”

Her lips proceed to kiss the scales between Eizen’s eyes. She leaps down from him, landing on the ground, and nods towards the others.

“We should go,” she says. They don’t budge. “What, you wanna die here? Get going!”

“It’s just,” says Mikleo, the first to move, “well, you did just … climb on a dragon’s head.”

“Impressed, are you?”

“I’ll admit that I am, a little.”

Edna smiles from amusement. She and the others run towards the end of the platform. Zaveid releases the chains once they are by the path to descend. Eizen shakes his head now they’re gone, which shoots immediately in their direction.

Yet he does not move. Perhaps because he is so taken aback by the seraph’s actions.

“You know, Edna,” says Sorey, as the party begin their descend down the mountain, “I think you might have made progress today.”

Edna hums, staring up at the sky. The roar she hears from the summit fails to rattle her bones. “I suppose only time will tell.”


End file.
